Greetings on this day of special importance – March 17th.
For several years now, we commemorate the National Resistance Movement Remembrance Day. We cherish the legacy of the Memorandum of the Latvian Central Council, which called on the German occupation authorities to restore the de facto sovereignty of Latvia and establish a Latvian government. 80 years ago, this appeal was courageously signed by over 100 representatives from various parties and professions, including some of the best and brightest of our nation. Some of these signatories were later repressed.
75 years ago, in 1949, a battle was fought in Īle between Latvian and Lithuanian national partisans and the Chekists, reaffirming that the struggle against the occupation would persist and that the spark of freedom remained alive. These people, these young people who fought for our freedom and for Latvia – they were not afraid.
Several decades later, Gunārs Astra was not afraid to speak the truth, and he was not alone in his beliefs. Many empathized with him in their hearts, but few dared to speak out.
Today, we acknowledge and pay tribute to the generations who valiantly fought for Latvia's freedom during the period of occupation. We express our utmost gratitude for their courage and selflessness.
Today, we also understand that it is easier to defend freedom and independence in the first place than to lose and regain it in a devasting fight. Therefore, even if we have occasional concerns and worries about the security of our country and the freedom of our people, we must not be afraid! It is important to be prepared for all scenarios, but we must also remember that we are not alone, as we were several decades ago. The defence of our country is primarily our responsibility, which is why we still have a lot of work ahead to ensure that we never arrive at the day when yet again we will have to mark the sacrifices of future generations in the fight for freedom and independence.
I want to thank all those who have foe decades upheld the name of a free Latvia. I am grateful to all those present. Let us keep fighting for our country!
